Never Trust Strangers
by Amorphous Entity
Summary: Luffy had been young and naive. He made a mistake and is still paying for it. What will his nakama say? It is only once a year. Will they think he's weak? What has he done to make them mad? Will he even get a chance to tell them his secret? It hurts...
1. Late Night Stroll

Disclaimer: I do not own One piece, never have, never will.

A/N Hey sorry I really couldn't resist writing this it's been nagging me for weeks! I even dreamt about it! I know I've been seriously slow on updating my other stories, It's Christmas time forgive me! So this is what I came up with, Read on and enjoy ^-^

Devil Fruit, a very rare fruit that many described as a curse within a blessing. Those who have consumed the said item are bestowed with impossible powers that could only otherwise be dreamt of. In return the ability to venture safely over waters is eternally lost and can never be regained by any worldly force. Some find this a fatal side affect, to others it makes no difference.

Luffy, a raven haired, energetic teen with a dream of becoming King of the Pirates, when young he had eaten the Gomu Gomu no Mi. The Devil Fruit that transforms a living beings flesh and all underneath into rubber. Not many believe this to be a very useful ability, but in truth can protect Luffy from the impact from blunt objects and makes his body more durable against blows. Sharp objects though can penetrate the skin seeing as it they can also penetrate rubber.

Luffy is the only of all the devil fruit users that has one week per year where the powers he had accidentally brought upon himself are released and all side affects disappear. This was caused at his own naive mistake and was something he'd forever regret.

Flashback

_Soon after eating the fruit, Luffy being so young was in distress even after Shanks and Ace had told him that he was going to be fine. His attempt at sleep was to no avail and the questions that swarmed his mind were too overpowering. The decision to solve his problem was to clear his thoughts with a late night walk, only a stroll really. Even with Shanks warnings the raven haired boy had the greatest of urges to see the ocean._

"_If no ones around and you fall in the water you will without a doubt, drown."_

_The way Shanks had spoke to him had sent shivers up his spine, he sounded so, serious. Being serious wasn't one of the emotions Shanks could easily act out, it having the opposite attributes of immaturity and playfulness. The only way Little Luffy could describe him as was scary and cruel, Shanks was his idol but he had yelled at him and called him and idiot. _

_The first of the young boys senses to alert him that he was close to the sea had been his hearing. He could always distinguish the sound of waves crashing against worn down rocks then retreating back to where it came._

_Spying a good sitting rock he strode over and flopped down, immediately regretting that he had done so considering how his body ached. This was do to getting wrapped several times around a pole and stuck there for two hours. Luffy was not yet in control of his new found powers._

"_You, Young boy with the raven hair come here I wish to share with you a secret." A stranger in heavy dark clothing spoke in a rough, mysterious voice. Luffy being Luffy, e had a sparkle in his eyes as he flew over to the stranger with high hopes. _

"_Tell me! Tell me!" You could feeling the excitement oozing from every action he made, from yelling to bouncing and waving his arms._

"_Okay, but have to promise not to tell anyone, alright?" There was an eerie smile stretched across the tall strangers face. _

"_Yes, I promise. I won't even tell Ace or Shanks!" He was yelling very impatiently while hopping from foot to foot._

"_I know a way to for two week a year relinquish the abilities and side affects of devil fruit." Luffy was very heavily contemplating his options not knowing a way to reach his decision. Just then the words of Shanks earlier that night invaded his thought and made up his mind for him._

"_Luffy! Your ability to swim is gone forever, A man on a ship that is incapable of something as simple as swimming is a useless deadweight. And because of that you will never be able to become King of the Pirates!"_

"_Can you use your ability on me?" It may be rash decision but anything for his dream._

"_Why, yes I can if you'd like, only one thing though." His eyes had a dangerous glint to them and if possible his smile gained a few inches._

"_And what would that be?" Luffy may have been young but he knew when he was going to far._

"_For the first day of your freedom you will have a slight case of the flu, that is all." His words seemed to good to be true._

"_Really, only the flu? Then I except your terms, please use your powers!" This seemed like a dreamed, know he could easily pursue his dream and make Shanks proud._

"_As you wish, First close your eyes, then breath in and out at a steady pace." Luffy did as he was told and waited for any further instructions from the man._

_Rituals, and chants in another language were streaming from the mans mouth in rhythmic murmurs as he pressed his hands against Luffys chest. A light similar to a flame was drawn from within the young boys chest, cradled in the strangers hands as he took a step backwards. He cracked a devious smirk as he bottled the small flame and peered a the boy he had taken it from._

"_I have finished, why not test out your swimming skills." He pressed his hands against the young boy chest once more, but with very different intentions. With one hard thrust the young boy was sent plummeting towards the icy blue water. Before diving head first into his salty grave Luffy stole a glance at he mysterious stranger once more. _

"_Is he the last I will see of this world what a terrible way to go." was the last he thought until darkness covered the sensation of flesh meeting water far below zero._

TBC

A/N hey hoped you liked it! See ya next time! ^-^


	2. I Need You

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, I only own my wanderings into the magical world Oda has created. ^-^

_A/N Sorry, sorry, sorry...*Knocking brains out against wall* Trust me this goes on for a veeeery long time. But do not worry my good people I had knocked my brains out yeeaars before this, I am only creating stories on pure muscle memory to type. I have not updated for an extremely long period and I do not expect you to forgive me only hope for a second chance. Please continue reading my fanfics and I promise to update my other fics soon too. I really like reviews. Hint, hint, nudge, nudge. Hehe, gomen. I am such impatient person, I just like to go and um, ya know, subtly hint what I want. (subtly hint my ass, atomic bombs are more subtle than that) Anyway on with the show, or um...story? Okay I'm shutting up now. ~TheFallenOne ^-^_

_Flashback_

_**Thinking Flashback**_

Speech

**Thinking**

_Pretty easy, ne?_

Recap

"_I have finished, why not test out your swimming skills." He pressed his hands against the young boy chest once more, but with very different intentions. With one hard thrust the young boy was sent plummeting towards the icy blue water. Before diving head first into his salty grave Luffy stole a glance at he mysterious stranger once more. _

"_Is he the last I will see of this world what a terrible way to go." was the last he thought until darkness covered the sensation of flesh meeting water far below zero._

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Still in Flashback

"_Thanks Makino!" Shanks and his crew after a night of drinking, were heading back to their ship to rest for the night. Since they were setting sail the next day supplies had already been purchased to prepare them for their long journey and the way back. _

_Most of the pirates being intoxicated, it seemed that Shanks was the only one left sober walking among the merrily laughing group. Not that Shanks disliked drinking, heck, that was his favourite pass time. He just had a nagging thought gnawing in the back of his mind, whispering the obvious truth that he should have stayed with Luffy and helped him through this ordeal. It wasn't that he had ruined someones life that hurt, he did that all the time, he was a pirate captain. It was that the boy was his friend and Luffy is so young and innocent, he hadn't been ready for life had thrown at him. Also it was a feeling, just a feeling that this incident was just the tip of the iceberg of some thing much, much bigger. _

_An eerie, full moon expanded across the mid night sky, omitting a fluorescent glow as were the stars, though their light not being half as prudent. Not a cloud in sight though a dense, grey haze could be seen a ways back hovering about the vast harbour almost reaching to where their boat was currently docked. _

_Once all the incoherent men had stumbled through open hatches and into awaiting hammocks, not that excited about waking up in hells grasp tomorrow morning. Shanks stepped out, into the chilly autumn breeze, he sucked in much more air than needed and held it for a few seconds before releasing the pressure along with his breath. Worrying and pacing were getting him nowhere, what he had to do was find Luffy and just be with him during his time of need. But facing Ace right now or anytime soon was not on his to do list, fore it would be extremely dangerous and or fatal. Lesson learned, never screw with a kid who has an overprotective older brother._

_Again he sighed for the umpteenth time today but in the same breath made his decision, he did had one hope in mind though; for Ace to be asleep. _

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

_Waves licked at the rocky shore hungrily, Sweeping away anything lying loosely on the rocks. A red haired man circled this shore along a foot made path that led to the upcoming city roads, absentmindedly twirling his sacred straw hat on his index finger. Troubling thoughts and scenarios claw at his already overcrowded mind, cricket chirps being the only noise other than the crashing waves to keep his reality stable. _

_Stopping dead in his pace Shanks peered over the ocean and could almost imagine the liquid ice flowing freely against his scarred flesh, chills shot up his spine at the mere thought let alone the actual feeling of such an experience. 'What if Luffy fell into that ice cold water and never returned to the air' Now unamused at his vivid imagination Shanks legs continued on their previous motion of finding his unfortunate friend._

_Something or someone breaking the surface of open waters brought all listening ears attention to the noise that had disturbed the deafening silence. "What...was that?" The pirate captains ears perked up as he tried to determine the exact location from where the starling sound was created. The only upsetting sight was a cloaked man stepping farther from the rippled tides encasing a small vile of light with strong hands as if it would cease to exist any moment. _

_Focusing more intensely on the seas disturbed waves Shanks wondered if the strange man had dropped something into the calm waters to create the previous splash, and if he had them what was it that he had dropped. _

_Everything went ice cold, the air became dense with the murderous aura that was seeping from bared teeth as the well known deadly pirate spotted what had created the sound that echoed into the night. _

_**Luffy...** Tiny flailing hands grabbed at empty space in a failing attempt to bring his sinking body back to land. **Luffy...** His body went into auto pilot as said captain dove head first into the ocean, even though pummelling the man that had evidently shoved Luffy into his intended tomb to a bloody pulp while he was still in sight was extremely tempting. Then again if he didn't rescue Luffy now there would no longer be a living boy to get revenge for and or with. _

_**Where could he go so fast?**__ Searing pain engulfed the young mans body as he pushed his muscles past their limits, he had never feared for someones life as well as his own to this extent . _

_**Deeper, deeper...**__ He couldn't take much more of this, his lungs were screaming in protest against their __abuse and threatening to give in to water pressure. __**No, I am NOT giving in.**__ Dark orbs darted in all directions Peering into his surrounding liquid for anything, Any sign of his anchor. There was a sudden smarting behind his eyes, as his legs ceased their kicking motion and his entire being went numb. __**I can't give up, move damn it, MOVE! **__A burst of adrenaline pumped through his veins and his prior movements restarted ten-fold of what his previous speed was. _

_**I can feel him near by...**__ Wisps of raven tresses swayed freely in the current as it's owners limp figure sank further into the seas icy depths. __**There! **__In one swift motion Shanks scooped up the young boy into his arms and used his legs to make his way towards freedom.__** Just a little more... **__Strong battle-worn arms held the raven haired boy securely against the red haired mans chest, they were protective and surprisingly gentle. _

_After breaking the surface Shanks made quick work of finding a ledge to pull both his and Luffys bodies onto dry land. Shanks wet gasps in attempt to bring oxygen back into his lungs were the only noise to filled the air as it was a very quiet night. In, out, in, out, in- wait, only noise?__** What about- **__His steady breathing stopped as it got caught in his throat, red hair sprayed water droplets over surrounding rocks as his head whipped around so fast that you could hear his skin slice through the air. _

_He was no medic but it doesn't take a doctor to know that it's not a good sign if someones not breathing. __**No... **__There was no chest movement whatsoever. His skin was blue to the sight and frozen to the touch. After staring Shanks came back to reality and cursed his slow reaction to the situation, applying hard compressions with short intervals in between all he could do was pray that he was not to late. _

_**No... **__One minute, two minutes, three minutes. Becoming desperate Shanks pushed harder and harder, there were so many reasons. Because Luffy was too young, there was so much more for him to see, he has so much to live for, if anyone was to die it should have been him. __**Not Luffy...**__ Four minutes passed and he still wasn't breathing, he was... dead. __**Anyone but Luffy... **__Tears rolled down his scarred face and ran until they met Luffys icy, blue cheeks. He was... crying? How long had it been since he last produced the salty substance? Years, decades? _

_**Why? **__He thought tears were a sign of weakness but right at that moment he felt no weakness only sorrow, loss, regret and... helplessness. He could do nothing to save such a young child, a friend, he was for one of the first times in pirate career completely and utterly helpless._

_His head moved slowly at first but progressed into the mans head to furiously shake back in forth as if saying no to the world, as if he was saying no to the heavens. He abruptly stopped on the action then spoke. "No..." It was just a whisper into the wind but it held more meaning than any being could understand. "You are not allowed to die, not yet." Anyone passing by would have thought he had lost his sanity but if you listened to his tone he was serious. "You haven't fulfilled your dream, you can't die before you become King of the Pirates! You can't leave, your too young, too innocent, too loved... You shouldn't have to go this way, you deserve so much better than what life's given you." Taking a brief pause in his speech the red haired pirate tilted his head towards the night-time sky and gave such an intense stare that it appeared he was staring beyond the black, beyond earths limits. He did not break his gaze but spoke from his current position. "What about your brother and Makino are you just going to leave them? Are you going to leave all of us? They need you!" _

_Then it dawned on him. "Are you going to leave me too? I thought you wanted to become part of my crew! You've proven yourself to be a man all you need to do is wake up! Wake up damn it! They need __you." A stray tear leaked from the mans eye. "I need you..." _

_TBC_

_A/N No it is not over! I know it sounds fluffy and gushy, but I love Shanks and Luffy moments! Hehe, sorry for the cliffy I just couldn't resist. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed reading it because I had just as much fun writing it! Please R&R and maybe check out some of my other stories! Ja ne! ~TheFallenOne 3 ^-^_


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